Page 117 of Worth the Shot

“I love you,” I murmur back, right before I pull her in and kiss her like I’ve been starving for it.

She smiles against my mouth, breathless when she pulls back. “Now go make that ice your bitch, Brennan Hale.” She turns, showing off my number and name stretched across her back, the same one that’ll hopefully be hers someday, and something in my chest warms in the best way. She giggles, doing a quick, excited bounce before launching herself at me. I catch her easily, her legs wrapping around my waist as she kisses me again, slow this time, like she’s grounding me before I step out there.

And just like that, the noise, the pressure, the doubt…it all fades. If this is all I ever had for the rest of my life, I’d be the happiest man on the planet. Everything else is just extra.

I kiss her one more time before setting her back down, my forehead resting against hers for a beat longer than I probably should.

“Go,” she whispers, smiling.

I nod, squeezing her hand once before letting go. Then I turn and head toward the locker room. The first person I see is Matt. He’s gearing up for warm-ups, going through his own pre-game ritual, but as soon as I walk in, he stops me.

“She’s got a way of quieting all the monsters you think you can keep bottled up,” he says. It’s not accusing or provoking, just honest and I respect it.

“Yeah,” I answer, “she does.”

“For what it's worth, Hale?”

“Hm?” I answer, as I lace up my skates.

“I don’t think she’s ever looked at me the way she looks at you.” He lets out a small, self-aware laugh. “Come to think of it, I can promise you she never did.”

I just nod, tight lipped, like I hear him but I don’t know what to say.

“I was wrong,” he adds. “For what I did. Asking her for another shot after everything I put her through. I never stood a chance once you were in the picture…and I can’t say I blame her.”

I glance up at him and I can tell he means it.

“You guys seem solid,” he continues. “I respect that. I wish you both the best.” There’s no edge or resentment to it, just truth. I probably won’t ever be his best friend, but teammates is a good place to start.

“Thanks, Morris,” I say, a small smirk pulling at my mouth as I finish tying my skates. “Just do me a favor and keep being that brick wall you’ve been since you got back. Makes my job a hell of a lot easier.”

He huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, I can do that.”

“You ready, Halesy?” Miles calls, holding his fist out.

I push to my feet, tapping my knuckles against his. “Let’s do it, Smiles.”

I step out onto the ice after warm ups and the roar of the crowd sounds like coming home. It feels a lot like something I almost lost and didn’t realize how much I needed until this moment. The noise, the lights, the cold air biting at my lungs—it all rushes back at once and now I know I’m ready.

The puck drops, and I don’t think, I just move. Everything clicks, almost instantly. My edges bite clean, my hands feel steady, and the game slows down in that way it only ever does when I’m locked in. First shift, I drive wide, cut inside, and put a shot on net hard enough to wake the building up all over again.

Next one, I’m faster, stronger and I win a battle in the corner, pull the puck off the boards, and send a clean pass through traffic that leads to a goal. The guys are yelling, the bench is alive, and for the first time in weeks, I’m not chasing it.

I am it.

Every shift after that just builds. I’m finishing checks, reading plays before they happen, and putting pucks exactly where they need to be. And the entire time I do it without hesitating or second guessing a single move I make. I just do what I do best. I play hockey.

I finish the night with two goals and two assists. We win the game 5–1, and just like that, there’s no question anymore.

I’m back, and I’m better than ever. Playoffs, here we come.

I don’t even bother peeling myself out of my gear. I blow straight past media. I’ll deal with them later. I shove through the double doors and the second I hit the hallway, there she is.

Wearing my jersey, my last name stretched across her back, a smile on her face so bright it hits me harder than the win ever could. The second she sees me, she takes off running. I barely have time to brace myself before she’s launching into my arms, and I catch her easily, holding her tight as she wraps herself around me.

Our mouths crash together and I know I’m sweaty, exhausted, probably disgusting, but she kisses me like none of that matters. Like I’m the only thing she sees.

Her arms tighten around my neck, pulling me closer somehow, and it hits me all at once.